German should lead the UN General Assembly
For the first time, reunified Germany could stand at the helm of the United Nations General Assembly. Diplomat Helga Schmid is set to lead the 193-member body as President in New York starting next year. The German government nominated the 63-year-old on a Wednesday for the high office at the UN headquarters, according to the Foreign Office. With no anticipated opponents, Schmid's appointment is considered secure from early September 2025.
Currently, the Secretary-General of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), is described as "one of the most experienced German top diplomats, well-connected and enjoys international respect." She has steered the OSCE through difficult past years. Prior to that, Schmid was the Secretary-General of the European Foreign Service in Brussels.
Schmid made a name for herself with a historic deal: She played a leading role in the negotiations on the Atom Agreement with Iran, which was signed in 2015 - and whose future is extremely uncertain since the US withdrawal.
With Schmid, a diplomatic heavyweight would assume the role of the Presidency during the 80th session of the World Parliament - contrasted with the office of the UN Secretary-General, which is often perceived as largely ceremonial. Schmid's role would be to represent the UN Member States as a whole.
Former advisor to Kinkel
At the annual meeting of Heads of State and Government at the UN General Debate, she would be one of the first to deliver a speech. The UN General Assembly has gained significance as a global mood barometer in the face of heavy wars in recent years. The 15-member Security Council, with its ability to adopt legally binding resolutions, is, however, considered much more powerful.
In 2015, Schmid was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit 1st Class. One of her supporters, former Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, valued her diplomatic skills and tenacity, the woman born in Bavaria, Germany. Schmid worked in her early career in the German embassy in Washington and as an advisor to Fischer's predecessor Klaus Kinkel.
In the over 75-year history of the United Nations, Schmid would be the fifth woman, according to the Foreign Office, to preside over the UN General Assembly. The actual election takes place in June 2025 in the largest UN body itself. Since the state groups that compete for the position in the respective years negotiate with each other before the nomination, Schmid's job is considered secure.
Reunified Germany is applying for the position for the first time. Previously, Rudiger von Wechmar represented the Federal Republic in 1981, and Peter Florin represented the GDR in 1987 as Presidents of the UN General Assembly.
Upon her appointment as the President of the UN General Assembly, Diplomat Helga Schmid will bring her extensive experience in diplomacy, having served as the Secretary-General of the OSCE and the European Foreign Service. During the 80th session of the World Parliament, Schmid's role will be crucial in representing the UN Member States as a whole.
Given her historical contribution to diplomacy, such as her leading role in the Atom Agreement negotiations with Iran in 2015, Schmid's appointment to the Presidency of the UN General Assembly by the General Assembly (UN) in New York is highly anticipated in the realm of politics, including at the OSCE.
